From awkward exchange with Pak PM to ‘beautiful Meloni’: 8 Trump gaffes that stole spotlight from Gaza peace deal summit

President Donald Trump touched down in the United States on Tuesday after a whirlwind trip to the Middle East, which he described as a “historic dawn of a new Middle East.”

The visit, centred on signing a peace deal to end the Gaza conflict between Israel and Hamas, was meant to be a diplomatic victory lap. Instead, it became a viral spectacle marked by a string of Trump’s trademark gaffes.

The trip saw Trump greeted with applause in the Israeli Knesset and praise in Egypt, where several Israeli hostages were released after two years in captivity. According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health (MoH), as cited by OCHA, at least 67,183 Palestinians have been killed and 169,841 injured in the conflict. Despite the catastrophic impact of the Gaza war, Trump received a heroic welcome as he repeatedly took personal credit for the ceasefire.

President Trump Delivers Remarks to World Leaders https://t.co/McXLYkYjLQ

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 13, 2025

Despite the historic nature of the peace deal signing, attention quickly shifted to Trump’s series of verbal slips and awkward exchanges.

Also Read: Inside Trump’s Gaza Peace Proposal: Hostage release, Hamas disarmament, reconstruction and…

Here’s a look at eight moments that stole the spotlight from the deal itself:

1. Awkward moment with Pakistan’s PM

At first, Trump acknowledged Pakistani PM Shehbaz Sharif’s presence at the summit but quickly added that he had been expecting to see Pakistan’s military chief instead. “Prime Minister Sharif of Pakistan, and also, I have to say, my favourite field marshal from Pakistan, who’s not here, but the prime minister is here, and you’re going to give his regards. Where are you?”

As Sharif stood behind him, cameras caught his visibly uncomfortable expression–the moment that soon went viral.

But the awkwardness didn’t end there. Continuing his speech, Trump began speaking about India-Pakistan relations, referring to the recent hostilities between the two countries. After praising India and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Trump turned once again to Sharif, leaving the Pakistani leader looking uneasy.

“India is a great country with a very good friend of mine at the top [referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi] and he’s just done a fantastic job. I think Pakistan and India are going to live very nicely together,”

Trump said, as Sharif managed a brief, polite smile behind him.

2. ‘Beautiful young woman’ 

During his speech, Trump risked controversy with remarks about Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. “I’m not allowed to say it because usually it’s the end of your political career if you say it — she’s a beautiful young woman,” Trump said.

He added, “If you use the word ‘beautiful’ in the United States about a woman, that’s the end of your political career, but I’ll take my chances.”

Turning to Meloni, he continued: “You don’t mind being called beautiful, right? Because you are.” Meloni’s reaction was obscured by Trump’s position on the stage, but the comment quickly grabbed the headlines.

3. ‘President Carney’ 

In another slip, Trump appeared to forget that Canada has a prime minister, not a president. During his speech, he thanked “the president of Canada” before Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney later approached him and joked:

“Thanks for upgrading me to president.” Trump chuckled and replied, “Oh, did I say that? At least I didn’t call you a governor.” The hot-mic exchange, captured on live broadcast, spread rapidly on social media.

4. ‘A lot of cash’ quip

During a photo op Sharm el-Sheikh, Trump drew laughter when he pointed at a UAE official and joked, “A lot of cash, unlimited cash.” The offhand comment quickly went viral, flooding social media with memes.

5. Macron handshake returns

Trump revived his famously awkward handshake routine with French President Emmanuel Macron, both leaders engaged in a aggressive handshake battle that lasted 26 seconds. The two shared an unusually long grip reminiscent of their 2017 encounter, which went on for 29 seconds. 

6. ‘Egyptian desert’ confusion

Speaking about his arrival in Egypt, Trump appeared to confuse his metaphors entirely, “But Air Force One was really—it was covered with Egyptian desert just a few months ago, if you think about it. Just a few months ago it was Egyptian desert, and now it was just a few feet off our window, and it was a spectacular sight, and I appreciate it very much.”

The incoherent remark quickly became a meme, with social media users dubbing it “the Egyptian Desert Theory.”

7.  ‘Only one that matters’

In one of his more pointed statements, Trump praised Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and declared, “You are fantastic, all right? I know a lot of people don’t agree with me, but I’m the only one that matters. You are fantastic.”

He continued, “He’s a great leader. I endorsed him in the last election he had, and he won by 28 points. You’re gonna do even better next time.” The remark drew mixed reactions from other leaders in the room.

8.  Trump’s snub at UK PM

Trump appeared to snub UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in front of the world media when he called Starmer to the podium, only to briefly acknowledge his presence, saying, “It’s nice that you’re here,” before turning back to the microphone and continuing his speech, leaving Starmer in an awkward position on the stage.